Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture organized the first event of the series Dhara – an Ode to Indian Knowledge System today as part of week-long celebration of Science Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate
DHARA, an Ode to Indian Knowledge System, organised by Ministry of Culture commenced today in New Delhi. The conference is being organised to celebrate the Science week and was addressed by Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture through a recorded message. On the occasion Renowned mathematician Manjul Bhargava delivered a keynote address on the topic “Beyond Zero –A survey of some of India’s fundamental contribution to the mathematics”. Rajive Kumar Member Secretary, AICTE was also present on the occasion.
On the occasion, in his address via a recorded message, Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary Ministry of Culture said that Mathematics in India has very long and rich history. Mathematics in India had made remarkable contributions. It’s time to celebrate the contribution to the field and take these contributions forward, towards making the world a better place for humanity to thrive and co-exist. He also said that Ministry of Culture is proud to announce DHARA- An Ode to India's knowledge system, a series of programmes which are powered by lecture demonstrations, celebrating India's contribution across diverse field.
Speaking on the contributions of Indians to the Mathematics Shri Manjul Bhargav said that India has contributed far more than zero to the field of mathematics. He added that while the contributions of zero to mathematics is recognized and taught in schools around the world, most of the other major contributions of India usually go completely unmentioned.
In his speech he highlighted ten Indian contributions to mathematics apart from ZERO.These include The Indian Numeral System, The Baudhayana-Pythagoras Theorem, The Mathematics of Language, The Sine Function in Trigonometry, Negative Numbers, Solutions to Quadratic Equations, Binomial Coefficients, The Virahanka-Fibonacci Sequences, Error-detecting/ correcting codes, First Exact Formula for Pi.
Rajive Kumar Member Secretary, AICTE in his address said that it is the first time through this programme organized by the Ministry of culture, the work done in the Ancient India is being taken to the world.
Mathematics in India has a very rich, long, and hallowed history. Starting from the most elementary thing in mathematics namely the representation of numbers, through the way of expressing recursive relations, to arriving at the solutions of indeterminate equations, to the development of sophisticated techniques in handling the infinite and the infinitesimals, Indian mathematicians have made remarkable contributions.
‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture, and achievements. Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav commenced on 12th March 2021 which started a 75-week countdown to our 75th anniversary of Independence. It will continue till 15th August 2023.
To commemorate this momentous occasion, Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is being celebrated throughout the country and across the world with participation from all Ministries, States, Union Territories and our counterparts abroad. The celebration takes place in the form of events which are organized of the principle of ‘whole of government’  and ensure maximum ‘janbhagidari’ .